


A Smile On His Scarred Lips

by Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Hypothermia, M/M, Probably not very realistic hypothermia symptoms, Sharing Body Heat, but I did it for the trope, trapped in a snow storm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-05
Updated: 2017-07-05
Packaged: 2018-11-28 05:14:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11410962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness/pseuds/Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness
Summary: “Let me take care of that. Get in bed now.”“Those are not the circumstances I thought you would say that to me.”





	A Smile On His Scarred Lips

**Author's Note:**

> Who told me writing a story based in a snow storm was a good idea when the temperature has been hitting 30 degrees Celsius for the past month where I live?  
> Oh, it was me? Well then.

“Andraste’s tits must be frozen out there just like mine are,” Dorian complained, too cold to even shiver. He was eyeing the small hunting cabin they had taken refuge in. Cullen closed the door behind them and made sure the wind wouldn’t push it open.

“There must be dry wood in here, I’ll make a fire.” He turned to Dorian, faltered at his cocked eyebrow. “Or I’ll assemble the wood and you start the fire.”

“Thank you, dear Commander, for remembering my magical talents.”

Cullen rolled his eyes, used to Dorian’s antics, and set to prepare the small fireplace before they both froze in place. He had only started to feel alarmingly cold, but Dorian hadn’t been prepared at all for the snowstorm, and he wasn’t about to let him suffer longer than he needed to.

The small house was well equipped, the bed had a warm-looking fur on top with thick blankets in the cupboard when he checked.

“There’s food in the pantry, do you think they'll mind if we eat some?”

Cullen began piling wood in the fireplace. “We’ll leave them coins. The fire is ready to be started.”

Dorian joined him, unable to hide how unwell he felt when he crouched beside him but instead almost falling over because his legs were so stiff. He grunted and managed to stay upright before Cullen could help him. “You mean you’ll leave the coins, it appears I forgot to make my money pouch for this training excursion.”

And what a training session it had been. Cullen and Dorian had been working together to bring the Templars and Mages closer by making them train together. This had been their second simulation outside of Skyhold when the storm hit them by surprise.

Cullen watched the magical fire appear with a flick of Dorian’s wrist and lick the wood, quickly catching and spreading. He already could feel the warmth on his face.

“How are your toes and your hands?” He still deplored how Dorian refused to wear more protection from the cold, yet constantly complained about it.

Dorian wiggled his fingers, the movement slow and sluggish. They also appeared a little puffier, which wasn’t good. Without much thinking, Cullen took his hands in his and hissed at how cold they felt. Dorian instead sighed at the hot touch, then blinked in surprise when Cullen also pressed his palms against his cheeks.

“You’re freezing. By the Maker, why didn’t you say something?”

Dorian, uncomfortable, shrugged - or at least attempted to, but his body wasn’t the most cooperative at the moment. “I wasn’t feeling cold after a while.”

It was even more worrisome. Not to feel the cold anymore meant his body had been continuing by sheer survival to push him to find shelter, but Dorian had failed to recognize the signs. This would not do. Hypothermia was well known to Cullen, as was the harsh cold of the South, and he would help Dorian any way he could.

“I can warm you up. Remove your clothes, if you please. They’re wet and are only stealing your heat.”

Dorian thought about offering a lewd remark, but Cullen looked serious and even worried for him, so instead he nodded and began to remove his armor. He didn’t want to ruin his chance with him, and half frozen to death in a cabin in the middle of a storm was not how he pictured getting naked in front of him, especially if he was the only one getting naked.

Or not..? Cullen began to undress as well, carefully lining his armor pieces in a specific order on the wooden table. When their eyes met, Cullen’s cheeks went a little red, but he continued stripping until he was down to his small clothes.

“Body heat is the best way to warm you up.”

His tall frame was thickly muscled, body built by years of wearing a heavy armor and continuous training, but his curly blond hair and the still present blush gave him a softness, giving a very compelling ensemble. He was a sight for sore eyes, and Dorian was soreness incarnated at the moment.

“Do Southerners have the habit to do that?”

“Yes, actually. It’s survival tricks I learnt as a child, to prevent losing limbs or freezing to death.”

Dorian, fingers clumsy and stiff, had been struggling to remove his boots. He looked up at Cullen’s remark, suddenly alert, or as alert as he could be.

“Losing limbs?”

Seeing his difficulties, Cullen kneeled in front of him to help, unbothered that he wasn’t wearing much in front of him. Or if he was, he didn’t show it. The view of his broad shoulders and the freckles covering them was a nice distraction from the painful numbness.

Once his socks were peeled off, Cullen gently touched his toes the assess the situation. They were as cold as the rest of him. Dorian hugged himself, beginning to feeling just how cold he was.

“Let me pull the bed closer to the fire.”

It was a bed built of massive wood, sturdy and big enough to fit the both of them. Cullen grabbed it and moved it without so much as a grunt, muscles flexing. Dorian tried to distract himself by hanging his damp clothes on the string made for that purpose nearby the fire, but his strength was gone and he was just shaking too much.

“Let me take care of that. Get in bed now.”

“Those are not the circumstances I thought you would say that to me,” he muttered, all but diving under the covers. Cullen even had changed the blankets, he noticed as he pulled them up to under his chin, shaking uncontrollably now. He felt even worse and had to keep his teeth clenched together so they wouldn’t chatter. He didn’t realize he’d closed his eyes until he felt the bed move.

“Hey, don’t fall asleep.”

“M’not sleeping.”

“Sure, you’re not.” Cullen placed a warm hand on his arm before curling his body against his back. Dorian turned around and all but clung to him, pressing his nose against his collarbone.

“By the Maker, you’re like a block of ice,” Cullen remarked, making sure they were both covered before wrapping his arms around him. If he was uncomfortable by their position, Dorian was too out of it to realize it, and beside, he’d been the one suggesting this.

“How can you be so warm?” He muttered, shivers still running through him despite the added warmth and the hands stroking his back.

Cullen chuckled, the sound a deep vibration against Dorian’s ear. “I wear clothes that protect me and not fashionable ones, I suppose? Also I’m used to this weather. Tell me, had you ever witness a snow storm before?”

Dorian had to think, then he blinked blurry eyes up at Cullen. “Once, last year. I was already in the South visiting some members of my family. I wasn’t actually in it, however, but the sight wasn’t anything I ever read in a book.”

The cabin was creaking in protest of the wind howling outside, the fire cracking near them. Starting this practice, Cullen never thought it would end like this, but a part of him wasn’t about to protest.

Andraste knew how much he cared for the mage, more than he would ever admit, and putting on these practices together had also been somewhat of an excuse to spend more time with him. Of course, Dorian was a very talented mage, and he could’ve refused to help for how some Templars still treated him to this day despite him winning most people’s heart and Cullen reprimanding the culprits. Dorian had told him he wasn’t bothered by them, but Cullen was.

A hand touching his waist shook him out of his thoughts.

“I can hear you thinking,” Dorian sighed, on the edge of sleep. His hair was smelling of musk and spices, free of its usual style and instead tickling his neck.

“Sorry, I was thinking about the recruits. I hope they made it back to camp.”

“I’m sure they did, we were the last ones of the group.”

“True. Are you feeling any better?” Dorian had stopped shaking altogether, which was a good sign.

“I can feel my limbs now, if that’s what you’re asking, and I must admit I’m quite cozy.”

Cullen pushed back a stray piece of hair from his forehead, his fingers lingering as they stared at each other. “I’m glad.”

Dorian blinked at the gesture. Over the past months, he’d realized how more familiar Cullen had become with him, eyes looking at him with warmth and just being more present in his life. He also had been the one coming at him with the new plan to train the recruits. All this, what did it mean?

“Cullen… What are we?” He asked with a troubled voice. Cullen frowned, not sure what the question implied.

“I dare hope we are friends, Dorian.”

“Is this just what we are? I mean…” He groaned. “Oh, I don’t know what I meant, forget I said anything.”

He wanted to hide in shame, but Cullen wouldn’t let him leave the bed. Instead he gently stopped him from detangling their limbs when Dorian meant to. He placed his palm on his cheek and leaned over him to press a soft, so very soft kiss to his mouth before bringing him back against his chest.

“Sleep, we’ll talk about this once you feel better.”

“Just talk?” Dorian replied, chest warming up with an unknown, giddy feeling. He settled comfortably in Cullen’s arms.

“Rest and you’ll find out,” replied Cullen with his cheek resting against his head, a smile on his scarred lips.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always dearly appreciated! You can find me on [Tumblr](http://captain-amoruca.tumblr.com/).


End file.
